Happy New Year!

Copious batches of new comics and other cool stuff will hit the shelves at Flying Colors on Friday January 2 at 11AM. We'll be open on Friday until 8PM for New Releases Day.

From the whole Retailing Brigade at Flying Colors---
*Melissa (aka "Super-Wit")
*Leticia (aka "Super Skrull PhD!")
*Marty (aka "Blond Bear")
*Andy (aka "Sir Soul Crusher")
*Mike (aka "Dr. Literal")
*Libby (aka "The Caring Crusader")
*FlyCoJoe (shhhh, he's Captain Four-Color)

Thank you for helping us meet the challenges of '08 with your patronage and your presence here at Flying Colors. we look forward to continue serving you the best in comics entertainment in the New Year.

We send you our wishes for a super-powered 2008, full of love and laughter and massive stacks of the coolest comics and graphic novels ever!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

Among FlyCoJoe's favorite gifts this year...

I got an e-mail this morning. Here it is:

Dear Sirs,

Just wanted to say thank you for supporting our soldiers. I am currently stationed in Afghanistan and have just received a copy of Ultimate Spiderman! I have been an avid collector of Spiderman for some years now and getting an issue of Spiderman made my day.

Just wanted to say thanks and hope that you all have a Merry Christmas and a good holiday season.

I've withheld the name of the soldier who wrote this e-mail to us, since I haven't cleared it with him. However, I do want to thank the East Bay Blue Star Moms for allowing Flying Colors Comics to take part in their initiative to get care packages to 4000 soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

I appreciate the sacrifice and the commitment of our soldiers, so donating thousands of comic books was just our little way of pitching in to try to bring a little "home" to soldiers serving in harm's way.

A big four-color Flying Colors' salute to you all! We thank you for your service and look forward to your safe return!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

Have a Cool Yule!

FLYING COLORS will be CLOSED on Thursday December 25 for the Christmas Holiday. We'll be back in action on Friday at 11AM.

From the whole Flying Colors Retailing Brigade and the Field Family, we send our warmest wishes for a happy holiday simply wrapped in love.

Peace!

FlyCoJoe
(The photo is from the Field house in Moraga circa 1966. A golden age, indeed.)

Flying Colors OPEN 10AM-6PM on Christmas Eve, Wed. 12/24

...and it's also NEW RELEASES' DAY!

New comics, graphic novels and other cool stuff will be on the racks and ready to go at 10AM!

Peace!

FlyCojoe

Last Minute Idea for BUFFY Fans!

Flying Colors just received a new item that die-hard BUFFY the VAMPIRE SLAYER fans will love!

Scratch that. Today, Flying Colors received THREE new items that media hounds, wanna-be writers and fans of BUFFY, LOST and HEROES will really love.

It's a series of DVD interviews you won't find in video stores ---or many other stores for that matter. Each DVD contains a full hour-long interview with a top Hollywood writer.

Volume One features JOSS WHEDON, mastermind behind BUFFY, ANGEL, FIREFLY and Astonishing X-MEN.

Volume Two features DAMON LINDELHOF, head writer and producer of the TV series LOST (as well as the oft- and long-delayed comic series ULTIMATE HULK VS WOLVERINE.

Volume Three features TIM KRING, Pittsburg CA native and the creator of the TV phenomenon HEROES, as well as CROSSING JORDAN.

Each DVD is only $12.99, perfect to stuff into your favorite fan's stocking.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Flying Colors Holiday Hours:
Monday Dec 22, 11am-7pm
Tuesday Dec 23, 11am-7pm
Wednesday Dec 24, 10am-6pm (New Releases Day!)

Thursday Dec 25, Christmas Day, CLOSED

Friday Dec 26, 11am-7pm
Saturday Dec 27, 11am-7pm
Sunday Dec 28, 11am-7pm
Monday Dec 29, 11am-7pm
Tuesday Dec 30, 11am-7pm
Wednesday Dec 31, 11am-6pm

Thursday Jan 1, CLOSED

Friday Jan 2, 11am-8pm (New Releases Day!)

Hope to see you soon!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

More News & Notes!

ITEM: Flying Colors is one of the few stores on the West Coast to stock the otherwise very popular TOON TUMBLERS, glasses featuring favorite comic characters. Flying Colors just recently received a new shipment of these cool and inexpensive gift items, so for all you looking for a nostalgic throwback to the days of collecting Slurpee cups and glasses from Taco Bell--or maybe you're just looking for a very cool drinking glass, come and get 'em!

ITEM: With Christmas approaching fast, we want to give you the heads-up about our schedule here in Flying Colors. Our shop, our store, our little comics mecca will be open regular hours --- 11am-7pm everyday, with the following exceptions:

•Wednesday December 16 we'll be open until 8pm for New Releases Day.
•Wednesday December 24, Christmas Eve is also a New Releases Day and we'll open one hour early and close a little early, going from 10am-6pm.
•Wednesday December 31 there will not be New Releases and we will be open from 11am-6pm.

ITEM: FlyCoJoe gets lots of questions from visitors to our store about comic specialty stores in other parts of the U.S. As the currently-serving president of the comic book specialty retailers trade association called ComicsPRO, I'll refer you to our members' list as a good source of finding some of the very best comic shops in North America. Check our member list HERE!


ITEM: FlyCoJoe has had a couple of requests (sadly not very many at all) asking if his KRON-TV appearance will be posted here or to YouTube anytime soon. Well, it all depends on how fast one of my DVD dubbing crew comes in to take up that task. Meanwhile, we'll show you an unfocused shot of KRON newscaster and weekend morning show host Magnificent Marty Gonzalez and FlyCoJoe on the KRON set.

ITEM: On a more personal note, FlyCoJoe would like to thank the many wonderful friends who wrote him to share their condolences on the passing of FlyCoJoe's lovely and amazing Mom, who lived a long (eternally 18!) and beautiful life. It's been a difficult last couple of months, but I can still feel her love all the way from the Eternal There to the ephemeral here.

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

News & Notes!

ITEM: Tune in to KRON-TV 4 this Sunday morning December 14 [UPDATE! The interview is now scheduled for approximately 8:40 AM---set your TiVo!] for a segment on comics, hosted by Marty Gonzalez and Ysabel Duron. FlyCoJoe will be live in the KRON studio to talk with Marty and Ysabel about the comics' business and highlights of the cool stuff available for Christmas gift-giving. Please tune in!

ITEM: Remember those great bargains we featured during our recent sale? Well, we recently came across a stash of cool stuff that totally fits the bill for adding to those bargain boxes. A special selection of ACTION FIGURES are just $3.99 each or 3/$9.99! T-SHIRTS are $5.99 or 2/$10! Plus one-of-a-kind pricing on some toys, statues and busts!

ITEM: Have you been in to pick up one of the new exclusive FLYING COLORS' 2009 wall calendars? Measuring 11"x34", these calendars feature 2009's "red letter days"--- noting the New Release Days for the whole year, highlighting FREE COMIC BOOK DAY (first Saturday in May, y'all!), and featuring some of your favorite super-heroes. Teachers and librarians: if you would like a stack of these to give away in your classrooms and/or libraries, please let FlyCoJoe or any one of the FlyCo Retailing Brigade members know and we'll reserve a pile of these poster-calendars for you!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

RASL! BONE! The JEFF SMITH Event Wrap-Up!

For those of you who missed The JEFF SMITH Event at Flying Colors on Saturday, here are a few shots from Jeff's visit here.

First up, Friday was FlyCo Libby's birthday. So we went to dinner at La Havana in Walnut Creek for some amazing Cuban food and mojitos.

Jeff did a cool and quick sketch of Smiley Bone on the paper place-mat for Libby and she asked him to be here for every one of her birthdays from now on!


Flying Colors Retailing Brigade Senior Staff Mike Fantastic asked Jeff for an unusual sketch request: Marvel's MODOK mashed with a BONE character.
Jeff analyzed a little reference (the "Super-Villain Team-Up trade paperback from Marvel) and came up with a piece that had Mike floating... not quite like MODOK, but close. I wonder if the International Journal of MODOK Studies would be interested in this one? Next time: Kingdok meets MODOK!



And FlyCo Retailing Brigade Junior Staffer Melissa danced with Jeff after receiving her own Smith original.
Maybe that's not dancing... but after studying the photo, that's all I could think of to call it. Sort of like PEANUTS dancing, only to a John Mayer song.


Before Jeff sat down to officially start the signing, he took some time to hang out with his legion of fans who showed up for the Flying Colors event.

I was awed by how smooth things went, how Jeff made each of his fans feel very special, asking them questions, answering theirs, sketching in almost every graphic novel he signed. I know I won't forget how generous Jeff was here with his time and talent!


Fone Bone gets all patriotic and hoists the flag in this specially requested sketch.

Many of Jeff's fans came from a long distance to get to the Flying Colors' event. I recall hearing people say they came from Chico (three hours drive), Santa Maria (four hours plus), Fullerton (seven hours minimum), San Diego (eight, nine hours?). Well, I hope you all had a good time and will spread the love for Flying Colors!



Toward the end of the event, we took this shot.
That's my Flying Colors Retailing Brigade --- Mike Fantastic ("Dr. Literal"), Andy ("Sir Soul-Crusher"), Marty ("The Blond Bear"), Leticia ("Super-Skrull PhD") and Melissa ("Super-Wit!"), and FlyCoJoe. FlyCo Libby (aka "The Caring Crusader") attended the first part of the event, before her super-powers started to wane from her recent surgery.

In the last shot here, long-time FlyCo Faithful Paul and Ronna get their RASL issues signed, and get a Jeff Smith peace sign as a bonus!

OK, so you've seen BONE sketches, you've seen Jeff Smith carousing with fans, staff and the FlyCo Executive Team (uh, Libby and I), but we haven't mentioned yet the WORLD PREMIER of Jeff's new series in a stunning new collection called RASL Volume One: The DRIFT.

By special arrangement, Flying Colors asked Jeff Smith to sign more of the limited edition exclusive bookplates for RASL Volume One and BONE Volume 9: CROWN of HORNS. If you would like to place and advance order for either (or both!) of these items, please let us know. Flying Colors also has a short supply of bookplate editions of SHAZAM: MONSTER SOCIETY of EVIL hardcover that Jeff did for DC Comics.

These are limited to a first-come, first-served basis, so don't miss this chance to own the bookplate editions of these cool JEFF SMITH books. Need I say that these would make terrific holiday gifts?

Check out Jeff's site at BONEVILLE.com
And thanks to Charles Brownstein and the whole team at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund for sponsoring the auction that brought Jeff Smith to Flying Colors. Donate to the CBLDF at CBLDF.org
And since I'm plugging away, the auction was exclusively directed to comic specialty retailers who are also members of ComicsPRO, the retailer trade and advocacy group.

Thanks to all of you who showed up. When you get the chance, we'd love to hear your stories from the event.

And thanks to Jeff and his team at Cartoon Books--- Vijaya, Kathleen, Steve, Tom and the crew for helping us the put this whole thing together.

Hey, Jeff--- Let's not wait another 15 years until you're here again, OK?

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

The JEFF SMITH Event: Be Here!

The JEFF SMITH Event on Saturday is shaping up to be a great time for everyone.

This will be Jeff's only comic store signing for quite some time, so I hope you make the effort to come in to meet one of the brightest and most successful cartoonists in the biz.

Did you know more than FOUR MILLION copies of BONE are now in print? In a business in which "successful" collected editions of comics sell in the low thousands, 4,000,000 is a staggering number--- and it shows just how wide and deep the fan base is for BONE and for Jeff's work.

Have you read RASL yet? Going 180 degrees away from BONE, RASL is a sci-fi thriller for older readers with action and intrigue as we learn more about the dimension-hopping art thief.

Also in stock are the BONE tie-in volumes that sadly don't get as much press or attention as the main BONE series, but provide great entertainment and important back-story to the BONE Saga. Check out ROSE, the story of Granma Ben when she was a young princess, stunningly painted by the amazing Charles Vess; and STUPID STUPID RAT TALES, a hilarious look at the rat creatures that infest the BONE-scape.

One more recommendation: SHAZAM: Monster Society of Evil, a Captain marvel story drawn and written by Jeff Smith....and recommended for all ages! Flying Colors will also have a limited edition book-plate for SHAZAM.

If by chance you can't make it in on Friday to get one of the advance Priority Signing Packages (see below), the Jeff Smith Event will not be starting until noon on Saturday, so you will be able to get the packages from 11am-noon in the store before the signing begins.

Hope to see you here!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

Now that we've posted the details of the Priority Packages for the JEFF SMITH event here at Flying Colors on Dec. 6, we've received a few questions. So here are some answers:

Q: I don't live anywhere close to Concord CA, so I won't be able to attend the event. Can I still get the limited edition Jeff Smith-signed bookplates?

A: Yes! While we will be giving priority to those who attend the event, we are going to make an effort to handle some requests for Jeff Smith's fans that can't make it to the the event at Flying Colors. After looking over the "Priority Signing Package" (posted yesterday) to decide which books you'd like, then submit your requests to "coolstuff@flyingcolorscomics".


Q: When is RASL Volume 1:The Drift due to come out? And BONE Volume 9:Crown of Horns?

A:You ask good questions! RASL Vol 1 will be making its World Premier here on December 6---however we will only have a preview copy to show off. Jeff Smith is having the overseas printer send us that copy. We'll then have our full shipment of RASL Vol 1 in before Christmas, so any orders for that book will be filled first with the signed bookplate on Dec 6, then the book itself a couple of weeks later.

As for BONE Volume 9, that is not due to come out until late January, but pre-selling them is the best way to make sure that those buying our Priority Signing Packages can get something new. Of course, we will also gladly supply copies of all of Jeff Smith's BONE, RASL and SHAZAM books to everyone! And we'll have a good supply of earlier volumes of BONE and SHAZAM here in-store on Saturday December 6.

Q: Do you expect a big crowd for the Jeff Smith event?

A: While we hope legions of Jeff's fans are able to attend, we never "expect" a crowd. We do prepare for a potential crowd, and we hope we'll have enough of Jeff's books for everyone who wants one that day. But word to the wise--- the best way to make that happen is for each of Jeff's fans to pre-buy one of the Priority Signing Packages.

Peace!

FlyCoJoe
(oh, while I've got you, take a look at the left of this screen, below the links for other spots on this site you'll find a sing-up for our e-newsletter--- the Flying Colors (in)Frequent E-Flyer. As the name implies, we don't send 'em out regularly, but when we do we will make exclusive offers, give you some heads-up on what's going on in FlyCo Land and the Comicsphere. No, we don't sell the names on our e-list to anyone, so feel secure that we'll keep it pure!)